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Halloween Movies for Toddlers and Preschoolers

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Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Halloween movies for kids can range from friendly pumpkin stories to genuinely spooky adventures, and the right choice depends on the child watching. Some children want familiar characters and silly costumes, while others are ready for ghosts, witches, mysteries, and a little suspense.

This guide will help you find age-appropriate movies, larger movie collections, and not-too-scary choices for family movie night. You can also visit my Halloween page for more seasonal recipes, activities, costumes, books, and family fun.

Halloween kids movies for a family movie night

Use the sections below to choose movies by age, scare level, and the kind of Halloween experience your family wants. You’ll find links to my larger movie guides, six gentle DVD picks for younger children, and simple ideas for making movie night more memorable.

How to Choose Halloween Movies for Kids

A movie described as “family-friendly” can still include dark scenes, loud surprises, threatening characters, or ideas that bother a sensitive child. Age ratings are a useful starting point, but they do not tell you everything about how frightening a movie may feel.

Consider what your child already handles comfortably. Familiar characters, animation, humor, and stories with clearly happy endings often work well for younger viewers. Older or more adventurous kids may enjoy mild suspense, mischievous monsters, and spooky mysteries.

  • Check the overall tone: Silly monsters and friendly ghosts feel very different from realistic danger.
  • Think about specific fears: Witches, skeletons, darkness, separation from parents, and characters in danger can affect children differently.
  • Preview when necessary: A trailer or detailed parental guide can reveal scenes that a short movie description may not mention.
  • Have another choice ready: Movie night should stay fun, so it is perfectly fine to switch to something gentler.

Halloween Movies by Age and Scare Level

Movie ratings provide a useful starting point, but they do not measure exactly how frightening a story will feel to an individual child. Check the rating and its content descriptors, then consider your child’s particular fears and previous experience with spooky stories.

  • G: General audiences. These movies contain no material that the Rating Board believes would offend parents whose younger children view the film.
  • PG: Parental guidance is suggested because some material may not be suitable for children. Check the descriptors for concerns such as frightening images, action, peril, or mild language.
  • PG-13: Parents are more strongly cautioned because some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Previewing the movie is especially helpful before showing it to younger viewers.
  • Not Rated or NR: The movie or television collection was not assigned an MPA rating. This does not automatically mean it is unsuitable, but the packaging, description, or a parental guide should be checked before viewing.

Every child is different, so the suggestions below are general starting points rather than strict age rules. A sensitive older child may prefer a familiar preschool favorite, while a younger child who loves monsters may be ready for something with more excitement.

Toddlers and Preschoolers

Typical ratings to consider: G or Not Rated preschool specials.

Halloween movies for three- and four-year-olds usually work best when they feature recognizable characters, bright animation, simple problems, and friendly Halloween traditions. Look for costumes, pumpkins, trick-or-treating, and playful surprises rather than villains or extended scenes of danger.

Many television specials and character collections for this age group are listed as Not Rated, so the absence of a rating should not be treated as an age recommendation. Check the story description and individual episodes before movie night.

Gentle Halloween Movies by Age

These gentle Halloween movies and DVD collections feature familiar characters, friendly seasonal stories, and not-too-scary fun. They are especially useful when you need Halloween movies for toddlers, preschoolers, or young children who are still deciding how they feel about spooky entertainment.

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Halloween Movies for 2 and 3 Year Olds

At this age the goal is the feeling of Halloween without any of the tension. Everything here is short, familiar and completely free of jump scares, and most of it comes from shows your toddler already watches every week.

1
CoComelon and Friends Halloween Special cover art, a Halloween show for toddlers
CoComelon and Friends Halloween Special
If your two year old already knows every CoComelon song, this is the easiest yes on the list. JJ and his friends do pumpkins, costumes and trick-or-treating in the same singsong format they already trust. I especially like it as a first Halloween watch, because nothing in it is designed to surprise them.
Best for: Ages 2 to 3 | Runtime: About 29 minutes | Spook level: None
Watch or buy on Amazon
2
Blippis Spooky Spells Halloween cover art, a Halloween show for toddlers
Blippi’s Spooky Spells Halloween
A good pick for the toddler who wants to know how everything works. Blippi does Halloween the way he does everything else, loudly and with a lot of explaining. I especially like that he names what he is doing as he goes, which takes the mystery out of costumes and decorations for a child who finds them strange.
Best for: Ages 2 to 4 | Runtime: About 41 minutes | Spook level: None
Watch or buy on Amazon
3
Pinkfong Baby Sharks Halloween Specials cover art, a Halloween show for toddlers
Pinkfong! Baby Shark’s Halloween Specials
Songs rather than a story, which is exactly right for the age that cannot sit through a plot yet. These keep the tune your child already knows and dress it up for October. I especially like having it for the car or for breakfast, where a full special would be too much to ask.
Best for: Ages 2 to 4 | Runtime: About 50 minutes | Spook level: None
Watch or buy on Amazon
4
Sesame Street Elmo Says Boo Halloween DVD cover
Sesame Street: Elmo Says Boo!
Sesame Street doing what it does best, which is making a holiday feel safe. Elmo and the gang play with costumes, pumpkins and gentle surprises, and nobody is ever actually frightened. I especially like it for a toddler who is still deciding whether the whole season is fun or alarming.
Best for: Ages 2 to 4 | Runtime: About 30 minutes | Spook level: None
Watch or buy on Amazon
5
Peppa Pig Pumpkin Party Halloween DVD cover
Peppa Pig: Pumpkin Party
The gentlest thing on this list. Peppa and George do costumes, pumpkins and pretend witches across a set of very short episodes. I especially like that each story runs only a few minutes, so a toddler with a five minute attention span still gets a whole beginning, middle and end.
Best for: Ages 2 to 4 | Runtime: About 55 minutes total, in roughly 5 minute episodes | Spook level: None
Watch or buy on Amazon
6
Daniel Tiger and More Halloween Fun cover art, a PBS Kids Halloween special
Daniel Tiger and More Halloween Fun!
The one to reach for with the youngest in the house. Daniel works through the ordinary worries of Halloween, like a costume that feels strange or a neighbor who looks different in a mask. I especially like that it names the nervous feeling out loud and gives your child words for it.
Best for: Ages 2 to 4 | Runtime: About 26 minutes | Spook level: None
Watch or buy on Amazon
7
Caillou’s Halloween children’s special cover
Caillou’s Halloween
Worth having if your child is in a Caillou phase, and this disc holds far more than one Halloween story. Caillou approaches the season the way a small child actually does, with more questions than excitement. I especially like how ordinary it keeps everything, which suits a toddler who is easily overwhelmed.
Best for: Ages 2 to 4 | Runtime: About 1 hour 45 minutes on the disc | Spook level: None
Watch or buy on Amazon

Halloween Movies for 4 Year Olds

Four is when most children can follow a whole story and enjoy a little suspense, as long as it resolves quickly. These have a gentle problem at the centre and a kind ending, and nothing in them stays scary for long.

8
Spookley the Square Pumpkin Halloween movie DVD cover
Spookley the Square Pumpkin
A sweet choice for a four year old who wants Halloween fun without anything frightening. Spookley is teased for being square instead of round, and his unusual shape is what saves the day. I especially like the message about kindness, and about the thing that makes someone different turning out to be the thing that matters.
Best for: Ages 3 to 6 | Runtime: About 45 minutes | Spook level: Very mild
Watch or buy on Amazon
9
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Mickey’s Treat Halloween DVD cover
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Treat
An easy win if Mickey is already in the house. The Clubhouse gang go trick-or-treating and solve the usual small problems along the way. I especially like the Clubhouse format at this age, because the structure is so predictable that a child who is nervous about Halloween knows exactly where it is going.
Best for: Ages 3 to 5 | Runtime: About 1 hour 6 minutes on the disc | Spook level: None
Watch or buy on Amazon
10
Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie cover art, a gentle Halloween movie for preschoolers
Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie
About as gentle as a Halloween movie gets, and my pick for the child who wants to join in but gets overwhelmed easily. Roo and Lumpy go trick-or-treating for the first time and set out to find the Gobloon. I especially like that there is no jump and no real threat anywhere in it.
Best for: Ages 3 to 6 | Runtime: About 1 hour 6 minutes | Spook level: Very mild
Watch or buy on Amazon
11
Curious George A Halloween Boo Fest movie cover
Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest
An easy yes at four. George goes looking for the legendary No Noggin scarecrow, and the search turns out to be more exciting than anything he finds. I especially like how gently it handles a local ghost story, because it lets a child feel spooked while staying certain that everything is fine.
Best for: Ages 3 to 6 | Runtime: About 57 minutes | Spook level: Very mild
Watch or buy on Amazon
12
Vampirina Vol 1 cover art, a gentle Halloween movie for preschoolers
Vampirina Vol 1
For the four year old who wants to feel like they are watching something spooky without anything actually being spooky. Vee is a young vampire whose family moves from Transylvania to Pennsylvania, and every one of her problems is an ordinary one. I especially like that the monster part is pure charm.
Best for: Ages 3 to 6 | Runtime: Amazon does not list a runtime for this volume | Spook level: None
Watch or buy on Amazon
13
Dora the Explorer Dora’s Halloween children’s DVD cover
Dora the Explorer: Dora’s Halloween
A safe pick if your child is still in the Dora years, and the disc carries several episodes rather than one. Dora handles Halloween the way she handles everything, by asking your child to help. I especially like that the asking keeps a four year old involved instead of just watching.
Best for: Ages 3 to 5 | Runtime: About 1 hour 40 minutes on the disc | Spook level: None
Watch or buy on Amazon

Halloween Movies for 5 Year Olds

Five year olds want to feel brave. These have real spooky atmosphere, a mystery or two, and in a couple of cases something genuinely worth learning, but the scares are always explained away before the credits.

14
Sid the Science Kid Spooky Halloween DVD cover
Sid the Science Kid: Sid’s Spooky Halloween
My pick for the five year old who asks why about everything. Sid takes Halloween apart the way he takes everything apart, with questions and a bit of investigating. I especially like it for homeschool families, because it turns the season into a science conversation without ever feeling like a lesson.
Best for: Ages 4 to 7 | Runtime: About 45 minutes | Spook level: None
Watch or buy on Amazon
15
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown cover art, a classic family Halloween movie
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
If you are building a Halloween tradition rather than filling an evening, start here. Linus waits all night in the pumpkin patch and Charlie Brown gets a rock at every house. I especially like it at five, when a child is finally old enough to find Charlie Brown’s bad luck funny rather than sad.
Best for: All ages | Runtime: The special runs about 25 minutes. This Deluxe disc holds about 5 hours of Peanuts specials | Spook level: None
Watch or buy on Amazon
16
PAW Patrol Halloween Heroes DVD cover
PAW Patrol: Halloween Heroes
An easy win if your child is still in the PAW Patrol years. The pups handle Halloween problems the way they handle every problem, calmly and with a vehicle. I especially like it for a child who dislikes surprises, because you already know exactly how each episode will go and so do they.
Best for: Ages 3 to 6 | Runtime: Amazon does not list a total for this disc | Spook level: None
Watch or buy on Amazon
17
Wild Kratts: Creepy Creatures cover art, a PBS Kids Halloween special
Wild Kratts: Creepy Creatures
This is my pick for the child who would rather learn something than be scared. The Kratt brothers spend it on the animals that get a bad Halloween reputation, like bats and spiders and owls. I especially like it for homeschool families, because it turns the spooky season into a real science lesson.
Best for: Ages 4 to 9 | Runtime: About 48 minutes | Spook level: None
Watch or buy on Amazon
18
Arthur and the Haunted Tree House cover art, a PBS Kids Halloween special
Arthur and the Haunted Tree House
A good step up for a five year old who is curious but cautious. Arthur and his friends swap four spooky stories on Halloween night, and every one turns out to have an ordinary explanation. I especially like that the whole thing is built on the idea that the scary thing is usually not what you feared.
Best for: Ages 4 to 8 | Runtime: About 57 minutes | Spook level: Very mild
Watch or buy on Amazon
19
Room on the Broom animated children’s movie cover
Room on the Broom
Short, beautiful, and one of the few things here that adults will happily watch twice. A kind witch keeps making room on her broom for one more animal until the broom gives out. I especially like it at this age because the dragon is the only real threat and he is dealt with quickly.
Best for: Ages 3 to 7 | Runtime: About 26 minutes | Spook level: Very mild
Watch or buy on Amazon

Halloween Movies for 6 Year Olds

Six is where full length movies start to work. These run longer, the humour has more for you in it, and the monsters are proper characters rather than background. Still nothing that earns more than a mild rating.

20
Hotel Transylvania cover art, an animated Halloween movie for kids
Hotel Transylvania
This is where the list starts to feel like a proper movie night. Dracula runs a hotel where monsters go to escape humans, and then a human turns up. I especially like it at six, because every monster is a punchline rather than a threat and the pace is quick enough to hold a whole feature.
Best for: Ages 5 and up | Runtime: About 1 hour 31 minutes | Spook level: Mild
Watch or buy on Amazon
21
Monsters, Inc. cover art, an animated Halloween movie for kids
Monsters, Inc.
Not strictly a Halloween movie, but it earns its place. The whole world runs on the idea that the monster in your closet is more frightened of you than you are of him. I especially like it for a six year old still working through being scared of the dark, because it hands them a way to think about it.
Best for: Ages 4 and up | Runtime: About 1 hour 32 minutes | Spook level: Very mild
Watch or buy on Amazon
22
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit cover art, an animated Halloween movie for kids
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
One of the safest full length picks here for a mixed age room. It is a monster movie played as a very English comedy, with a giant rabbit terrorising a vegetable competition. I especially like that the jokes run on two levels, so you are actually enjoying it rather than just enduring it.
Best for: Ages 5 and up | Runtime: About 1 hour 25 minutes | Spook level: Mild
Watch or buy on Amazon
23
Toy Story of Terror cover art, an animated Halloween movie for kids
Toy Story of Terror
My pick when you want a movie night on a school night, because it is a half hour special rather than a feature. The toys end up stranded at a roadside motel and it plays like a small horror movie for people four inches tall. I especially like that it stays funnier than it is frightening.
Best for: Ages 5 and up | Runtime: About 22 minutes | Spook level: Mild
Watch or buy on Amazon
24
The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat cover art, a classic kids Halloween special
The Berenstain Bears: Trick or Treat
A good pick if your house already reads the books. Sister Bear gets talked into a Halloween dare involving the spooky house at the edge of town, and the neighbor turns out to be nothing like the rumors. I especially like the lesson about not judging someone on gossip, and it lands without being preachy.
Best for: Ages 4 to 9 | Runtime: 3 episodes on the disc. Amazon does not list a total | Spook level: Mild
Watch or buy on Amazon
25
Casper’s Halloween Special animated movie cover
Casper’s Halloween Special
Comfort viewing for a child who is sensitive to conflict. Casper spends Halloween looking for a friend who is not scared of him, which is the whole point of Casper. I especially like that the stakes stay small and the ending is kind, so nothing in it sits badly at bedtime.
Best for: Ages 4 to 8 | Runtime: About 51 minutes | Spook level: Very mild
Watch or buy on Amazon

Plan a Family-Friendly Halloween Movie Night

The movie may be the main event, but a few easy details can turn an ordinary evening into a Halloween tradition. Keep the setup comfortable, involve the kids in the planning, and leave room for breaks if younger viewers need them.

Create a Cozy Viewing Spot

Gather blankets, pillows, cushions, or beanbags before the movie begins. Dim the lights without making the room completely dark, and use string lights or battery-operated pumpkin lanterns for a festive glow.

Serve Halloween Movie Snacks

Popcorn, caramel apples, monster treats, and other Halloween snacks for kids make the evening feel special without requiring an elaborate party. Add a colorful witch’s brew mocktail for an easy themed drink.

Add an Activity Before the Movie

Let the kids decorate treat bags, make paper bats, complete a coloring page, or work on a simple Halloween craft before showtime. Younger children can practice their skills with these Halloween cutting activities.

You can also invite everyone to wear Halloween pajamas, spooky socks, or a favorite costume. These Disney Halloween costumes are especially fun when the movie features a familiar Disney character.

Plan a Double Feature

Start with a short, lighthearted cartoon for younger children and follow it with a longer or slightly spookier movie for older viewers. Families can take a snack break between movies or finish the evening with a simple trivia game about the characters and story.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Choosing a Halloween movie becomes much easier when you consider your child’s age, individual fears, and previous experience with spooky stories.

Start with familiar characters and gentle stories involving pumpkins, costumes, friendship, or trick-or-treating. Mickey’s Treat, Elmo Says Boo, Spookley the Square Pumpkin, and Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie are examples of the softer choices featured here.

Look beyond the age rating and check for the specific things your child finds upsetting. Dark settings, loud surprises, threatening villains, characters in danger, and separation from parents may be more important than whether the movie is animated or live action. Preview a trailer or parental guide when you are unsure.

Show the gentlest or shortest movie first so everyone can participate. After a snack or activity break, younger children can move on to something else while older children watch the longer or spookier selection.

More Kid-Friendly Halloween Fun

Which One Worked for Your Little One?

Leave a comment and tell me how old your child is and which one you put on. Scare tolerance is so different from one three year old to the next, and the notes other parents leave here help everyone else pick better than any rating does.

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